Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-11-09
A FITTING TRIBUTE.
Presentation of a Sword to
General Miles
BY THE CITIZENS OF ARIZONA.
Tucson Crowded With Visitors
Impressive CeremOnies-The
Generals Speech.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD !

GeneraIS speech.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
Tucson, A. T., November S.-There
were fully 10000 people in this city
to-day to witness the ceremony OF pre-
senting General Nelson A. Miles with
a sword on behalf of the citizens oi
Arizona, in honor of his subsection Of
the Apaches. The day was one OF
great beauty. At II 80 O'Clock Gen
eral Miles and party Of army officers
reviewed
THE PROCESSION,
Which was one mile and half long.
One of the notable features of the pa
rade was a band of 400 Papajo In
dians in war paint and armour, as
used in the campaign against the
Apaches. The society of Arizona pio-
neers and G.. A. r. acted as an escort.
In the procession there were 600
school children. The column pro-
ceeded to the Park Gardens, where
THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY
Occurred shortly after 2 o'clock. The
services were opened with prayer by
Rev. II. Cole. General Johnson
was President Of the day. Judge
William H. Barnes, of the Supreme
Court of Arizona, then made the
presentation speech. General Miles,
in responding, spoke with much feel
ing, as following
GENERAL NILES ADDRESS.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
To serve ones country is a duty
that affords the patriot more happiness
than aught else. To protect the inno-
cent and defend the defenseless has
been the highest ambition of the sol
dier from time immemorial. The true
knight who buckled on his armor to
engage in just cause found his rich
est reward in the approval of his
countrymen; and in gratitude to the
soldier no people are more ready than
our own to accord merited praise.
None are so quick to discern thu truth
nor to measure facts with more iEtelli-
gence than the American people.
Where people unite in one body
in the expression OF their appreciation
by the bestowal of such jeweled
"emblem OF justice" as this, all other
rewards and testimonials which SOL
dier might receive seem to me insig-
nifcant in comparison.
1t would be useless for me to at
tempt to express in words my per-
sonal appreciation of your good will.
1 feel that you have honored me in
the highest degree by making me the
recipient OF this token of your grati-
tude. and l accept it as an emblem
chosen by the people Of vast terri
tory, not only as a testimonial to me
alone, but more especially in recogni-
tion of the services of that gallant
body of men, who, in recent ardu-
GUS Indian campaign achieved most
gratifying success. Aside from its in
trinsic worth-its beautiful design
wrought in precious metals and exc
cuted with artistic skill prize far
more than all else that spirit of gem
erous consideration which prompted
you to join together in 20 graceful a
compliment, and l shall treasure it
with more than grateful appreciation.
PRAISE TO THE DESERVING.
On this occasion I have but one re-
gret, and that is, that the officers and
soldiers who were engaged in that
worthy cause, some of whom gave
their lives in helping to secure peace
for this territory, cannot be present to
witness this manifestation of your
gratitude and l would be less than
worthy to command such men did l
not on this, as on all similar occa-
sions, accord to them the full measure
of praise which their faithful services
so richly deserve.
For the past twenty years, although
the majority of the people OF this
country have enjoyed blissful peace,
yet the life of our army has been one
Of almost constant warfare; and none
can appreciate better than you, whose
homes are scattered through onr re-
mote frontier, the dangers and duties
of this vanguard of civilization.
If there is difficult problem in
military science it is the subjugation
of mountain race, and few if any
have been trained to war for a greater
number of years than the Apache In
dians, who for generations past had
roamed over this Territory like fear
full scourge. To give the largest de-
gree of protection to the scattered
settlements of Arizona and New
Mexico, and at the same time to so
organize and distribute the available
military force as to fight, harrass
and pursue a body of ruthless wal
riors over two thousand miles of the
most rugged mountain country upon
the face OF the globe and force them
to surrender, was indeed difficult
task; and there never was more
laborious or faithful service rendered
by any body of troops than that OF
the officers and soldiers who, in those
four weary months of the summer of
1886 by their spirit and fortitude
alone, secured permanent peace for
your Territory.
Regarding that campaign l need
not remind you-many of whom are
pioneers of civilization, many of whom
have lost relatives and friends, and
whose homes have been made desc
late through Indian depredations, and
all of whom must remember the ter
rorism which prevailed among your
people; of the changed condition OF
affairs which has been wrought in
your midst